Process of coating fabrics



L. KIRKPATRICK.

PROCESS OF COATING FABRICS.

APPLZCATION FILED JULY 22,1918.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

5 T/FFf/Y/NG Con T UNITED STATES PAW'IENT OFFICE.

LITTLETON KIRKPATRICK, OF BELLEVUE, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OI DELAWARE.

' PROCESS OF COATING FABRICS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented No 30, 1920.

' Application filed July 22, 1918. Serial No. 245,991.

To all wit-omit may concern.

Be it known that I, LITTLETON KIRKPAT- won, of Bellevue, in the county of New Castle and in the State of Delaware, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Coating Fabrics, and do hereby declare that .the following is a full, clear. and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention has been to provide a process of coating fabrics, which fabric shall be adapted for use, among other purposes, for automobile tops, or the linings of such tops, for slip covers, trunk linings, etc., and, while made of comparatively cheap material, shall have the appearance of expensive material. and which fabric shall also, if desired, be waterproof, oilproof and dustproof.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a representation of one prod not of my invention having the appearance of whipcord;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view of a piece of fabric showing separately the embossing which is used on the fabric shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

While my invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms and by the practice of different processes. I have chosen as an illustration of my invention the application of it to the production of a fabric having the appearance of whipcord, such as is used, for instance, in the lining of automobile tops, but this illustration of my invention is to be regarded only as typical and my invention is not to be confined thereto.

Whipcord has a characteristic appearance, giving rise to its name, and which appearance I desire to imitate.

As a base for my imitation whipcord, I use any woven fabric possessing sufficient tensile strength and elasticity, as for example, a cotton drill, this cotton drill being either undyed or dyed any convenient color. I preferably first coat the goods with a white pyroxylin jelly, 'which may be composed of any of the coating compositions ordinarily used in the coating of fabrics for the production of leather substitutes, of

which the, following formula may be cited as an example:

Zinc white 4 parts Nitrocellulose 4 Castor oil 8 Amyl acetate 12 \Vood alcohol 12 Benzol 10 This jelly is applied preferably to the back side of the goods with a sharp knife while the goods are under tension.

The object of applying the coating is not only to waterproof the goods, but also to .give a body or stiffness to the goods, so as to hold the embossing which is next to be applied.

-The putting of the goods under tension results in applying a very light coating of the jelly to the goods and it opens the threads in the direction of the pull, so that the coat is forced in to a greater extent than it would otherwise be.

Having applied the coating to the goods as described and given it time to harden the goods are embossed with any desired pattern, preferably in the pattern of a grain. In the present instance, the grain used in the embossing is thatshown in Fig. 3, and tension need not be maintained during the embossing.

Having embossed the fabric with a grain, color is applied to the fabric, preferably with a sharp knife and with the goods under tension. The color coating may be of any composition ordinarily employed in the coating of fabrics for the production of leather substitutes, of which the following formula may be cited as an example,assuming that the desired color is black:

Drop black; 3 parts Nitrocellulose 4 Castor oil 8 Amyl acetate 13 Wood alcohol '13 Benzol 11 The knife forces the color down into the valleys of the embossing and scrapes it off of theltops of the threads, so as to expose I the White beneath, thus iving life to the fabric. That is, the e ect is produced of the lights on top of threads and the shadows between the threads of awoven fabric, instead of the dead monotony that Would be obtained from a coating all of one color.

' treatment to enable that side to stand the Weather. The initial coat to stiffen the goods may, if desired, be applied to the opposite side of the oods from that which is to be embossed. n this event, the grain will be less perceptible than if the stiifenin coat is applied to the back to be embosse If deemed, the goods may be made without the embossing, in which case the finished product will depend for its contrast upon the weaving of the various materials used.

There are many kinds of goods suitable for use in making my fabric by my process; for instance, sheetings, sateens, drills and moleskins may be used. The color effect can, of course, be varied Without limit.

I claim:

1. The process of makin a coated fabric comprising applying a sti ening coating to it from the elevations resulting from the embossing.

'2. The process of makin comprising applying a sti ening coating to a woven base While the latter is under tension, embossing said fabric, applying a contrasting coating to said embossed fabric and .removing it from the elevations resulting from the embossing while the base is under tension. A

3.. The process of making a coated fabric comprising applying by a scrubbing action a stiffening coating to a woven base While under tension, embossing said base, applying a contrasting coating to said embossed fabric and removing it from the elevations resulting from the embossing.

4. The process of making a coated fabric comprising applying by a scrubbing action a stiffening coating to a Woven base while the latter is under tension, embossing said fabric, applying a contrasting coatin to said embossed. fabric and removing it rom the elevations resulting from the embossing while the base is under tension.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

P. E. STRICKLAND, H. L. BRADLEY.

a coated fabric 

